Re: Kombucha question/problem

[Guest guest]

A picture would be helpful but it sounds fine. I think it does that when tea

solution gets trapped on top or from fermentation bubbles causing an uneven

growth.

http://loveyourmother.livejournal.com/3388.html

[Guest guest]

Thanks Amy- here is a link to the picture of the top- I also took a picture of

the bottom.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64167933@N04/7243135590/in/photostream

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

Thanks Amy- here is a link to the picture of the top- I also took a picture of

the bottom.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64167933@N04/7243135590/in/photostream

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

The round circles look like mold?

Kathy Jo would be the best to ask, she makes tons of it and can probably tell

you better than we can.

I think for the mold you can start over with the mother but have to chuck the

moldy ones. Add vinegar to the mix too.

>

> Thanks Amy- here is a link to the picture of the top- I also took a picture of

the bottom.

>

> http://www.flickr.com/photos/64167933@N04/7243135590/in/photostream

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

[Guest guest]

Yep the circles are mold- but the mold is on the top, not touching the tea.

I don't mind throwing the offspring, but should we drink the kombucha?

I have never had this happen before.

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

I would chuck all of it on the compost pile and start over. The mold scoby has

to go from what I remember. You could probably drink the tea without any

problem but why? Just start a new batch and put in some vinegar. I can't

remember who much to add to a gallon but someone on this list probably does.

Chickens loves scoby!

>

> Yep the circles are mold- but the mold is on the top, not touching the tea.

>

> I don't mind throwing the offspring, but should we drink the kombucha?

>

> I have never had this happen before.

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

[Guest guest]

I would toss it ..I have a scoby for you. I make about 90 gallons of

kombucha a bunch..I never have had mold. My opinion is you bottled it when

the brew was not finished....

On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 1:23 PM, jduskwind <duskwindfarm@...> wrote:

> **

>

>

> Yep the circles are mold- but the mold is on the top, not touching the

> tea.

>

> I don't mind throwing the offspring, but should we drink the kombucha?

>

> I have never had this happen before.

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

>

>

--

Kathy.jo

Independent Norwex Sales Consultant and Team Co-ordinator

612.386.4240

kathyjopeterson.norwex.biz

[Guest guest]

I actually have a spare, but thanks. I never bottled it, I was just going to

sample it. The mold was on the new scoby that formed- not on the mother itself.

I don't have a clue how it happened, I have never had mold. I tasted the

kombucha and it taste really good, I just don't know if it is safe. My kids love

Kombucha and although I have another one going- they want this one (of course!).

Thanks!

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Mold issues seem more likely (yet fairly rare) in the first half of the brew

cycle as the acidity starts to build. As the consummate guinea pig when I was

having mold problems at the warehouse (I left the water out over a couple days

before adding a concentrate tea) and every one I did that way got moldy. I threw

most away and then with the last container did an experiment. I took the moldy

SCOBY off and then left the batch for another week. No mold reformed. I drank

the batch (did not sell it or have anyone else drink it) and felt great! But on

the other side, every advice you would get on line or from " experts " is to throw

the whole batch and start fresh. Double your starter liquid and make sure you

boil all the water for the tea. Add a Tblsp or 2 of white vinegar (pasteurized

not raw) at the end to acidify even further and you shouldn't have any other

problems.

love and gratitude,

Barb Bredesen

Kombucha Divine

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Re: Kombucha question/problem

I actually have a spare, but thanks. I never bottled it, I was just going to

sample it. The mold was on the new scoby that formed- not on the mother itself.

I don't have a clue how it happened, I have never had mold. I tasted the

kombucha and it taste really good, I just don't know if it is safe. My kids love

Kombucha and although I have another one going- they want this one (of course!).

Thanks!

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

Thanks Barb- interesting! The batch tastes really good. And the original mother

that I put in looks good too. I will give that a try. I just can't figure out

what I did. Should I toss the original mother too?

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

You have to use your own best judgment on that . Kathy Jo would. I

wouldn't.

But everyone else on here probably would as well. So I am definitely in the

minority. Take care and go forward with no trepidation, whatever decision you

make.

love and gratitude,

Barb

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

[Guest guest]

Thanks Barb!

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

you have to keep the top covered, I used to use coffee filters and rubber

bands.. and the scoby needs to stay wet. Just take a stick and poke it down in

the solution now and then, that will keep the molds from growing. Mold spores

are everywhere, especially in the summer when you have veggies and fruits on

your counter and the windows are open etc.

>

> I actually have a spare, but thanks. I never bottled it, I was just going to

sample it. The mold was on the new scoby that formed- not on the mother itself.

I don't have a clue how it happened, I have never had mold. I tasted the

kombucha and it taste really good, I just don't know if it is safe. My kids love

Kombucha and although I have another one going- they want this one (of course!).

>

> Thanks!

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

[Guest guest]

you have to keep the top covered, I used to use coffee filters and rubber

bands.. and the scoby needs to stay wet. Just take a stick and poke it down in

the solution now and then, that will keep the molds from growing. Mold spores

are everywhere, especially in the summer when you have veggies and fruits on

your counter and the windows are open etc.

>

> I actually have a spare, but thanks. I never bottled it, I was just going to

sample it. The mold was on the new scoby that formed- not on the mother itself.

I don't have a clue how it happened, I have never had mold. I tasted the

kombucha and it taste really good, I just don't know if it is safe. My kids love

Kombucha and although I have another one going- they want this one (of course!).

>

> Thanks!

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

[Guest guest]

- so now what do you cover with? I have always covered with either a filter

or now I am using a fine cheese cloth doubled.

And how often do you replace the cover?

Thanks!

www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

[Guest guest]

I don't make it anymore, I have a problem with yeasty things that are not

pasteurized, even homemade beer. If I avoid them, I have significantly less

issues with yeast. I made whey cultures (beet kvass, ginger ale from NT etc.)

I replaced it every so often, really not on a schedule. I would give the jar a

swirl whenever I walked by too, that helps keep the top wet. that's really key.

mold doesn't usually grow on a surface that is disturbed often and is wet like

that.

Cheese cloth seems too holey. I would probably not trust that.

I would think that if you need to give your culture a boost, just go to the

co-op and get a jar of plain kombucha (non-pasteurized) and toss some of it in

there when you start a new batch.

>

> - so now what do you cover with? I have always covered with either a

filter or now I am using a fine cheese cloth doubled.

>

> And how often do you replace the cover?

>

> Thanks!

>

>

> www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

>

[Guest guest]

I have made kombucha on and off for years now and have never had any

mold - ever. I don't have air conditioning either so house is hot

and humid in summer. I never push the scoby down into the solution.

So that leads me to speculate that it may be something about the

recipe allowing mold to grow. I too have open windows, door even and

fruit out on the counter. Hmmm.

Rebekah

On May 22, 2012, at 8:25 AM, Y wrote:

> you have to keep the top covered, I used to use coffee filters and

> rubber bands.. and the scoby needs to stay wet. Just take a stick

> and poke it down in the solution now and then, that will keep the

> molds from growing. Mold spores are everywhere, especially in the

> summer when you have veggies and fruits on your counter and the

> windows are open etc.

>

>

> >

> > I actually have a spare, but thanks. I never bottled it, I was

> just going to sample it. The mold was on the new scoby that formed-

> not on the mother itself. I don't have a clue how it happened, I

> have never had mold. I tasted the kombucha and it taste really good,

> I just don't know if it is safe. My kids love Kombucha and although

> I have another one going- they want this one (of course!).

> >

> > Thanks!

> >

> >

> > www.duskwindfarm.com ~ our farming journal

> >

>

>

>